2021 SPP/APR and State Determination Letters PART B – Nebraska
OSEP Response to SPP/APR
PDF2021 SPP/APR Submission PART B – Nebraska
MS WORD (.docx)View PDF
OSEP Response to SPP/APR
400 MARYLAND AVE. S.W., WASHINGTON DC 20202 - 2600
www.ed.gov
The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by
fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. U
NITE D STATE S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
O FFIC E OF SPECIA L EDUCATION AND REHABILITATI VE SERVICES
June 24, 2021
Honora ble Dr. Matthe w L. Blomstedt
Commissioner of Education
Nebraska Department of Education
301 Centennial Mall Sout, P.O. Box 94987
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509
Dea r Commissioner Blomstedt:
I am writing to advise you of the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department) 2021
determination under section 616 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The
Department has determined that Nebraska mee ts the requirements and purposes of Part B of the
IDEA . This determination is based on the totality of the State’s da ta and informa tion, including
the Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2019 State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report
(SPP/APR), other State-reported data, and other publicly available information.
With the FFY 2019 SPP/APR submission, the Office of Special Education Programs ( OSEP)
requested that States and Entities report whether and how the data collection for any indicator
was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, OSEP requested that States and Entities
include in the narrative for each impacted indicator: (1) the impact on data completeness,
validity, and/or reliability for the indicator; (2) an explanation of how COVID- 19 specifically
impacted the State’s or Entity’s ability to collect and verify the data for the indicator; and (3) any
steps the State or Entity took to mitigate the impact of COVID- 19 on the data collection and
verification. OSEP appreciates States’ and Entities’ level of transparency regarding the impact of
COVID-19 on the data reported in the FFY 2019 SPP/APR. When making deter
mination
decisions for 2021, OSEP considered all information submitted that related to the impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic. For 2021 determinations, no State or Entity received a determination of
“Needs Intervention” due solely to data impacted by COVID-19.
Your State’s 20 21 determination is based on the d ata re flected in the State’s “20 21 Part B
Results- Driven Accountability Matrix” (RDA Matrix). The RDA Matrix i s individualized for
each State and consists of: (1) a Compliance Matrix that includes scoring on Compliance Indicators and other
comp liance factors;
(2) a Results Matrix that includes scoring on Results Elements ;
(3) a Compliance Score and a Results Score ;
Page 2 — Chief State School Officer
(4) an RDA Percentage based on both the Compliance Score and the Results Score ; and
(5) the State’s Determination.
The
RDA Matrix is further explained in a doc ument, entitled “How the Department Made
Determinations under Section 616(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 2021:
Part B” (HTDMD).
OSEP is continuing to use both results data and compliance data in making determinations in
2021, as it did for Part B determinations in 2014-2020. (The specifics of the determination
procedures and criteria are set forth in the HTDMD and reflected in the RDA Matrix for your
State.) In making Part B determinations in 2021, OSEP continued to use results data related to: (1) the participation and performance of CWD on the most recently administered (school
year 201 8 - 201 9 ) National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 1
;
(2) t he percentage of CWD who graduated wi th a regular high school diploma; and
(3) the percentage of CWD who drop ped out.
You may access the results of OSEP’s review of your State’s SPP/APR and other relevant data
by accessing the EMAPS SPP/APo reporting tool using your State - specific log - on inform ation at
https://emaps.ed.gov/suiteL . When you access your State’s SPP/APR on the site, you will find I in
Indicators 1 through 16, the OSEP Response to the indicator and any actions that the State is
required to take. The actions that the State is required to take are in the “Required Actions”
section of the indicator.
It is important for you to review the Introduction to the SPP/APR, w hich may also include
language in the “ OSEP o esponse ” and/or “ Required Actions ” sections .
You will also find all of the following important documents saved as attachments:
(1F the State’s RDA Matrix;
(2F the HTDMD document;
(3F a spreadsheet entitled “20 21 Data Ru bric Part B,” which shows how OSEP calculated the
State’s “Timely and Accurate State - Reported Data” score in the Compliance Matrix; and
(4F a document entitled “Dispute Resolution 201 9 - 2020 ,” which includes the IDEA section
618 data that OSEP used to calculate the State’s “Timely State Complaint Decisions” and
“Timely Due Process Hearing Decisions” scores in the Compliance Matrix .
As noted above, the State’s 20 21 determination is Meets Requirements. A State’s 20 21 RDA
Determination is Meets Requirements if the RDA Percentage is at least 80%, unless the
Department has imposed Specific Conditions on the State’s last three IDEA Part B grant awards
1
OSEP has used results data on the participation and performance of children with disabilities on the National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) in making determinations for States (but not Entities) since 2014. Although the BIE is the only
Entity t hat administers the NAEP, OSEP has not used NAEP data in making the BIE’s determinations because the BIE’s NAEP
data were previously not available. However, given that the BIE’s NAEP data are now available, OSEP is considering using the
NAEP data in making the BIE’s 2022 determination under IDEA section 616(d).
Page 3— Chief State School Officer
(for FFYs 201 8, 201 9, and 20 20 ), and those Speci fic Conditions are i n effect at the time of the
20 21 determination.
St ates were required to submit Phase II I Year Five of the SSIP by April 1, 20 21 . OSEP
appreciates the State’s ongoing work on its SSIP and its efforts to improve results for students
with disabilities. We have carefully reviewed and responded to your submiss ion and will provide
additional feedback in the upcoming weeks. Additionally, OSEP will continue to provide
technical assistance to your State as it implement s the SSIP , which is due on February 1, 2022 .
As a reminder, your State must report annually to the public, by posting on the State educational
agency’s (SEA’s) website , the performance of each local educational agency (LEA) located in
the State on the targets in the SPP/APR as soon as practicable, bu t no later than 120 days after
the State’s submission of its FFY 201 9 SPP/APR. In addition, your State must:
(1) review LEA performance against targets in the State’s SPP/APR;
(2) determine if each LEA “meets the requirements” of Part B, or “needs assistance,” “needs
intervention,” or “needs substantial intervention” in implementing Part B of the IDEA ;
(3) take appropriate enforcement action; and
(4) inform each LEA of its determination.
Further, your State must make its SPP/APR available to the public by posting it on the SEA’s
website . Within the upcoming weeks , OSEP will be finalizing a State Profile that:
(1) includes the State’s determination letter and SPP/APR, OSEP attachments , and all State
attachments that are accessible in accordance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 ; and
(2) will be accessible to the public via the ed.gov website.
OSEP appreciates the State’s efforts to improve results for children and youth with disa bilities
and looks forward to working with your State over the next year as we continue our important
work of improving the lives of children with disabilities and their families. Please contact your
OSEP State Lead i f you have any questions, would like to discuss this further, or want to request
technical assistance.
Sincerely,
David Cantrell, PhD
Acting Director
Office of Special Education Programs
cc: State Director of Special Education
(Grant Year 2019–2020 — Issued June 24, 2021)
How the department made determinations
idea_file-template-default single single-idea_file postid-82939 wp-custom-logo wp-embed-responsive with-font-selector no-anchor-scroll footer-on-bottom animate-body-popup social-brand-colors hide-focus-outline link-style-standard has-sidebar content-title-style-normal content-width-normal content-style-boxed content-vertical-padding-show non-transparent-header mobile-non-transparent-header kadence-elementor-colors elementor-default elementor-kit-82278
Last modified on August 11, 2021